Johan m



` (No Model.) C

J. M. ANDERSEN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

No. 588,558. Patented Feb. 8, 1888.

ATENT JOI-IAN ANDERSEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE@ HALF TO ,ALBERT ANDERSON, OF SAME PLACE.

ELEQTRIC swiTcH..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 598,553, dated February 8, 1898. Application filed December 5, 1896. SerialNo. 614,533. (No model.)n

To @ZZ whom/tt may concern.- y

Be it known that I, JOHAN M. ANDERsEN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Electric Switches,of which the following description, in connection with the accompanyin-g drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to electric switches, and is herein shown as embodied in a switch of that class known as quick-acting, and the said invention has for its object to provide a simple, efficient, and cheap switch in which the use of solder may be dispensed with.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing the members or parts of the switch with a cover, as will be described, whereby the uninsulated parts of the switch are protected from dust, dirt, and accidental handling when the switch is in its operative or closed condition, and the said cover is provided with a movable portion attached to the movable member of the switch, so that the act of uncovering the uninsulated parts of the switch opens the same.

In accordance with this invention the movable member or blade of the switch is composed of an inverted trough-shaped piece of metal, comprising a back and two depending arms or sides, preferably of springy metal,

such as copper, and the stationary or coperating member is made 'of light shape, but preferably of composition metal, and oomprising a back and two sides or arms, which are integral with the said back, so that the use of solder and its attendant objections are avoided. The trough-shaped blade or movable member is preferably struck up 4with a suitable die, and the stationary member is preferably machined or milled, and therefore and at a minimum cost.

these essential parts of the switch may be constructed with a minimum amount of labor These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specinication.

Figure l is a perspective View of one form of switch embodying this invention, the said switch being open; and Fig. 2, a vertical section on the line 5 5, Fig. 1.

members, and as they are `of like construction I will specifically describe but one.

Referring to Fig. l, a stationary member comprises in the present instance two parts or pieces of metal a a, each consisting of a back piece 2 and. side arms 3 4, separated from each other;

made longer than the side pieces or arms 3 4 and is firmly secured to the insulated base A, as by countersunk screws. (Not herein shown.) The parts c a of the stationary member may, and preferably will be, made of a composition of metals and maybe milled or otherwise machined from a solid piece cr casting with a minimum amount of labor and at a minimum expense. The parts ct a of the stationary member have cooperating with them a substantially trough-shaped movable member or blade, preferably of copper or like springy metal,and consistingof two side pieces or arms Z) b', united or tied together by one or more back pieces b2, the said arms in the present instance being integral with a single back piece b2, which may be secured, as by screws, to a cross-bar b4, preferably of insulating material. The substantially troughshaped movable member of the switch may, and preferably will be, made by strikingup the same from a flat sheet or strip of metal, preferably copper, thereby enabling this part of the switch to be produced at a minimum cost with substantially little labor. The back piece h2 of the movable memberis preferably made of `sufficient width to enable the side arms h Zi' to embrace or make a sliding contact with the outside `of the arms 3 4: cf the parts a a of the stationary member; but I do not desire to limit my invention in this respect, as the arms b b' may make a sliding' The back piece 2 of each part of the stationary member is preferably` TOO contact with the inner sides of the arms 3 4. The movable member or blade of the switch is adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from the stationary member by means of an operating-lever c, preferably of the construction herein shown, the said lever being secured at its lower end (see Fig. 2) to the side arms 3 4 of the part a of the stationary member by a pivot-pin c, which is also extended through theside arms b b of the movable member or blade, and the said lever is provided near its pivot with a socket c2, extended from its rear side 6 toward its front side 7. (See Fig. 2.) The socket c2 contains within it a spring c3, which bears at one end against the back b2 of the movable blade. The lever c is provided at its upper end with an arm c4, extended substantially at a right angle to the lever c and adapted to pass through the slot c in the back b2 of the blade or movable member andr through a slot or opening c5 in the movable portion C10 of the cover, and the said arm has secured to it a handle c, of insulating material. The arm c4 is provided on its under side with a substantially central rib 20, (see Fig. 5,) which iits into the slot 0X in the back b2 of the trough-shaped blade, and the said arm is also provided at its outer end with a depending flange 22, which overlaps the upper end of the blade and constitutes a means for moving the blade or movable member from its open into its'closed position. The arm c4 of thelever c preferably has attached to it a guard c7, of insulating material, which is designed to cover the opening c5 and prevent contact with the metal arm c4 when the switch is in its closed position. The movable portion c1" of the cover is fastened to the back b2 of the movable contact member and has" codi and contact-piece a by screws d10 CP2.

operating with it a stationary portion d, removably secured, as by clips or hooks d and screws cl2, (see Fig. 1,) to the base A. The contact-piece a of the stationary member has -secured to it, as herein shown, a line-terminal d4, which projects through a suitable slot or opening d5 in the stationary portion CZ of the cover, and the movable portion 010 of the cover is provided with a like slot or opening el, which is adapted to lit over the other lineterminal 6X7, preferably secured, as by a'countersunk screw d8, (see Fig. 2,) to a terminal plate d", suitably secured to the base A, the said plate being designed in practice to be connected by a fusible wire or strip (not shown, but which may be of any suitable or usual construction). to the contact-piece a of the stationary member of the switch, the said fuse being adapted to be secured to the plate In practice the terminals d4 CF are designed to be wound or covered with insulating-tape, so that when the switch is in its closed or operative position contact with the metal parts of the switch is prevented, thereby rendering .this-construction of switch especially desirable for use in dwelling-houses,- shops, stores, and like places.

I prefer to use the cover, but the construe* tion of the switch herein shown possesses advantages not dependent on the cover,and consequently the latter may be dispensed with, if desired.

In the present instance I have shown the movable member or blade of the center set of members and the lever c as pivoted to the arms 3 4 of the contact-piece a of the center set ofstationary members, and the other movable members as connected to Jthe center ones by the tie-bar b4.

When the switch is in its closed position and if it is desired to open the same, the operator pulls upon the handle c6, which action moves the lever c toward the cover until the rear side 6 of the said lever engages the back b2 of the movable member, which movement of the said lever compresses the spring c3, and at or about the time the sides or arms b b of the movable member or blade are disengaged from the arms 3 4 of the part a of the stationary member the spring c3 acts and with a quickmotion throws the'movable members or blades away from the arms 3 4 of the part a of the stationary member and opens the switch withoutdanger of arcing. The switch may be closed by moving the handle c6 in the opposite direction, as above described.

By making the sides or arms 3 4 of the contact pieces or parts a a ofthe stationary member lin one piece with the back 2 theuse of solder is avoided, which is desirable, for if the arms should be soldered to the back 2 additional time and labor are required, and the solder is also liable to overheat and the arms become ydetached from the back if solder alone is depended upon to secure the said arms to the back, and if the said arms are, in addition, pinned to the back additional labor and time are used in the manufacture of the switch.

l. In an electric switch, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz: a base, a stationary contact member secured thereto, a movable contact member cooperating with said stationary contact member, a cover of insulating material comprising a stationary member attached to the base, and a movable member attached to said movable contact member to normally cover the said stationary contact member and to uncover the same when the movable contact member is disengaged from the stationary contact member, substantially as described.

2. In an electric switch, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz: a base, a stationary contact member secured thereto, a movable contact member cooperating with said stationary contact member,an actuating lever for said movable contact member, a spring interposed between said lever and movable contact member, and a cover of insulating material attached to said movable member to move therewith to normally cover the stationary contact member and to uncover IOO IIO

said stationary contact member when the movable contact member is disengaged from the stationary contact member, and having a slot through which the actuating-lever-extends, substantially as described.

3. In an electric switch, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz: a stationary member composed of a back piece and side arms integral therewith and extended-at an angle thereto, a movable member composed of a back piece'and side arms integral therewith and extended at an angle thereto and adapted to make a sliding contact with the arms of the stationary member, an actuating-lever for saidmovable member provided with a socket, and a spring located in said socket and acting on said movable member, substantially as described.

4. In an electric switch, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz: a sta- VJtionary member comprising the parts ct ce',

each consisting of a back piece and side arms integral therewith and extended at an angle thereto, a movable member consisting of a back piece and sides or arms extended at an angle therefrom and adapted to engage the side arms of the parts c a of the stationary member, a cover attachedto said movable member and provided with an opening, an actuating-lever for the movable member provided with an arm extended through the opening in the cover, and with a socket, a spring in said socket acting on the movable member, a handle for the lever attached to the arm of the said lever, substantially as described.

5. In an electric switch, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz: a stationary member comprising the parts a a', each consisting of a back piece and side arms integral therewith and extended'at an angle thereto, a movable member consisting of a back piece and sides or arms extended at an angle therefrom and adapted to engage the side arms of the parts o; a' of the stationary member, a cover attached to said movable memberand provided with an openingan actuating-lever for the movable member provided with an arm exten ded through the opening in the cover, and with a socket, a spring in said socket acting on the movable member, a handle for the lever attached to the arm of the said lever, and a guard for the opening i in the cover attached to the said lever, substantially as described.

6. In an electric switch, the combination ot' the following instrumentalities, viz: a stationary member composed of a back piece and side arms integral therewith and extended at an angle thereto, a movable member composed of a back piece and side arms integral therewith and extended at an angle thereto and adapted to make a sliding con- 

